Review of Monster's Ball (2001) by Andy H — 16 Jan 2009

Excellent film with some amazing performances. However I have to deduct one star for the unrealistic level of random tragedy. (SPOILERS) Okay, Halle Berry's husband was executed. And okay, this led to Heath Ledger's suicide.

I'm with it so far. But when the kid gets randomly killed by a hit and run, you start to feel like the tragedy is getting piled on a bit deliberately. I understand that the two main characters connect in grief, but would have been better if Halle's character had simply felt more about her husband's death.

That's grief enough, thank you. You can't just put some characters into an unreal shitstorm of woe and then see how they react. That line was crossed.